


No-one else comes close

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Tumblr prompts [13]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:15:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23498872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Robron post prison reunion after Robert gets out early when it turns out he didn't kill lee.
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Tumblr prompts [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1607773
Comments: 7
Kudos: 70





	No-one else comes close

Robert looked around the village. After a long flight he’d gotten a taxi from Leeds and had decided to ask the driver to stop outside the village so he could walk the rest of the way and try figure out what to do. And where to go.

He knew where he wanted to go… but he also knew he most likely wouldn’t be welcome there. He shook his head. The Mill was a no go.

He supposed his only other option was Keepers with Vic. Again.

He sighed and started walking towards his sister’s house when he suddenly heard a familiar voice yell his name and pull him into a hug.

“Robert! It’s so good to see you again, mate! I was hoping you’d come home!” Jimmy said enthusiastically.

“You… what? You knew I was getting out? How?”

“Well I didn’t know, know… but with that Luke getting arrested and hearing what he did… Nico and I just sort of… assumed you’d come home. And you did!”

“Yeah… well… I didn’t have anywhere else to go…”

“Why would you go anywhere else? This is your home. Your business is here, your family. OH I bet you want to go see Aaron now don’t you? Does he know you’re coming home?”

Robert shook his head.

“We’re divorced… I filed for divorce when I got sent down… So I doubt he’ll want to see me.”

“What? What did you do that for? You’re Robert and Aaron! You two are the strongest couple I know!”

“Were…” Robert corrected him. “I was going to spend the next 14 years in prison on the other side of the country, I couldn’t let Aaron put his life on hold for me. He deserves better.”

“He didn’t seem better… not until he came back from Scotland. But I think he’s just putting on a brave face for his mum, you know.” Jimmy rambled but noticed Robert wasn’t really listening. “Why don’t you come back to mine for a cuppa? You look like you could do with one.”

“No thanks… I think I’d rather just go see if Vic’s home and see if she’ll put up with me for a bit until I can find a place of my own…”

“No! I mean… she’ll be at work, won’t she? Come on, just one cuppa.” Jimmy said, practically dragging Robert towards his house.

From the corner of his eye Robert saw something looking a lot like Aaron’s work truck and a flash of bright orange. He turned his head and followed Jimmy. Anything to delay the inevitable of Aaron telling him he’d moved on and didn’t love him anymore.

“Robert?!” he could hear the anger and hurt in Aaron’s voice and figured he should get used to that.

“ROBERT!” Aaron repeated, a little louder, a little angrier. “You cut me off completely, you file for DIVORCE, and now I’m right here and you ignore me?!”

Robert slowly turned around to face Aaron.

“I’m not… I’m not ignoring you… I just… I can’t face you… after everything.”

“After you pushed me away, you mean? Or when you tried to divorce me?”

“You deserved better…” Robert said softly.

“Better than what? Better than my husband?”

“What kind of a husband would I have been to you behind bars? On the other side of the country?”

“We would have made it work! We would have gotten through it!” Aaron was yelling now.

“How, Aaron? You have your life here. Your home, your family…”

“You are my family, you idiot!” Aaron stepped closer to him. “I never signed the papers.”

“I know… I just… after a few years I could have divorced you without your consent… I was waiting for that. To set you free.”

“I didn’t WANT to be set free! I wanted my husband!”

“I’m sorry… I just wanted you to have the life you deserved. Without me holding you back, making you put everything on hold.”

“Why didn’t you talk to me? Or even write me a letter? You wrote to Vic and didn’t mention me at all! Do you know how much that hurt?!”

“I’m sorry…”

“There is that word again! I’m so sick of hearing that word come out of your mouth! We were supposed to married! To support each other! We made vows right here in this village!”

“I know… but…”

“No, Robert, no but. You hurt me! You did that!”

“I know and I’m sorry.” Robert said again and Aaron groaned in frustration.

“I love you! You’re the love of my life! I could hook up with twenty guys and feel nothing because they’re not you! You’re the only one I want! You and Seb are my family and just like that I lost you both!”

They were starting to gather an audience but neither man seemed to care while Jimmy tried to get everyone to move along.

“I love you too… but it wasn’t fair on you. You deserved someone who could give you a good life. Still do.”

Aaron crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at Robert.

“And don’t I get a say in that?”

“It was better this way, I -”

“Better this way?!” Aaron exploded. “For you maybe, but it was hell for me, Robert!”

“Why don’t you both come back to mine?” Jimmy suggested. “Have a cuppa and talk this through…”

“No need, Jimmy, Robert will decide what’s best for the both of us. He’s good at that.”

“Aaron… I’m sorry alright? I don’t know what else to say. I love you too… more than anything… and asking my solicitor to start divorce proceedings was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

“Then why did you?” Aaron said, voice full of despair. “It was just a few days after I’d seen you and I was already feeling like shit… and then I got that letter. And I couldn’t even talk to you to ask you why!”

“Why don’t you talk about that in my living room, eh lads?” Jimmy tried again. “Nico and the kids are out. You can talk in peace.”

Both men ignored him and only had eyes for each other.

“I… had to do it. If I’d have given you a choice… you would never have agreed. You would’ve visited every chance you got. Spent all that time and money on me and away from your family…”

Aaron stepped forward and put his hands on either side of Robert’s face.

“When are you going to get it through your thick skull that you are my family?”

“I… I don’t deserve to be.” Robert said, avoiding Aaron’s gaze.

Aaron rolled his eyes.

“Stop it.“ he snapped and waited for Robert to look at him. “Stop it with the self pity. It’s not sexy, it’s not the Robert I fell in love with. The Robert I married.” he pulled a chain from under his shirt with their wedding rings on it. “I love you. Still. And I want to be with you. Still. Because… you’re it for me. There is no-one else that could make me happy.”

“But I hurt you… I let you down… I let everyone down.”

“You didn’t. You took responsibility for what you did. You told the truth. You did what you thought was best for me… even though it wasn’t… But you did all that.” Aaron insisted and dropped his hands down to Robert’s neck and shoulders. “You did all that and I’m proud of you.”

“I don’t dese-”

“It’s not up for debate.” Aaron interrupted. “I have an amazing husband and I get to be proud of him.”

Robert swallowed thickly.

“I can’t -”

“Yes you can.”

“We can’t just start again…”

“No. We pick up where we left off.”

“Aaron, come on, we can’t just -”

“Why not? It’s our life. Our house. Our family. Our choice.”

“But…” Robert trailed off, not sure what to say anymore.

“Just… come home with me Robert.” Aaron trailed his hand down Robert’s arm and laced their fingers together. “I still have your stuff. Even the book you were reading…” He gently pulled Robert in the direction of the Mill.

“But… I’m a mess… Prison really did a number on me.” Robert said as he followed Aaron.

“I don’t care. I’d rather have you home with me, mess and all, than not have you around. I know what that’s like now, and I don’t like it.”

“I… I never thought I’d have this again. I thought you’d hate me… that you would’ve moved on…”

“I tried. Both. But I couldn’t.” Aaron stopped at the gate at the start of the Mill’s driveway. “You’re the only one for me, Sugden.”

Robert saw the unshed tears in Aaron’s eyes and felt his own eyes sting too.

“It’s Sugden-Dingle. I’m married.”

Aaron laughed a little and shook his head before pulling Robert close and kissing him softly.

“I love you. Welcome home.”


End file.
